


No Disease Like Treachery

by Michdie



Series: In the Wake [1]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Angst, Chirithy is heckin' adorable, Daybreak Town (Kingdom Hearts), F/M, Flowers, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I apologize in advance, I hope you're up to date with KHUX rumors, Land of Departure, So much angst, i hate it but i love it, plant-lady Strelitzia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-01-31 10:58:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18589888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Michdie/pseuds/Michdie
Summary: Strelitzia struggles to help her boyfriend, Ven, overcome the Darkness inside him while struggling with the news of the impending Keyblade War. She tells Ven her secret, but will that prove to be a mistake?After the defeat of Xehanort, Ven realizes that he needs to find his lost memories, but can he do that as an incomplete being? And why does he feel so much guilt over a girl named Strelitzia?





	1. Strelitzia

**Author's Note:**

> In this fic, I mention the Strelitzia flower, also known as the Bird of Paradise.
> 
> This fic kind of goes along side my other fic, "Singing in the Shower" but you don't have to read that one to understand this one.

I have learned to hate all traitors, and there is no disease that I spit on more than treachery.

-Aeschylus

 

            Strelitzia sat on the roof of her home, overlooking Fountain Square of Daybreak Town. Though broad daylight gleamed in the sky, she didn’t think anyone would see her. It was her secret place.

            She spied a certain Keyblade wielder, Moogle O’ Glory in hand, running through the square. They must be on a mission. Strelitzia let out a sigh. If only she had the courage to go talk to them. For the briefest instant, she had the urge to go seek them out. She stood carefully, not wanting to fall off the roof, but shyness strangled the urge. She clicked her tongue, disappointed in herself.

            “Don’t worry,” Chirithy said. She glanced down at her Dream Eater. “I’m sure you’ll talk to them someday soon.” Strelitzia couldn’t hide anything from the small creature.

            “Maybe,” she said noncommittally.

            A loud bong echoed nine times from the clock tower at the gate of town and Strelitzia gasped in surprise after the first bong.

            “Oh, no!” she cried, hands flying to her face, “I’m gonna be late!” She hopped off the roof, landing lightly on her feet, as Chirithy poofed out of existence. Strelitzia began to jog to the small café in town. She wove around people crowding the streets, and saw the café’s storefront. She cast her eyes about until she found who she was looking for.

            A blond boy stood with his back against the wall of the café and his arms crossed, glaring at the passers-by. Strelitzia hoped that was just a resting face.

            “Ven!” she called to him, waving her arm. He turned his glare on her, but his face brightened when he saw who called to him, cracking into a grin. He pushed off the wall and met up to her, grasping her hands in his, and leaning in to plant a kiss on her lips. Even though they had been dating for several months now, the soft touch of his lips still sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach, especially now since they were in public.

            “Hey, Strelly,” he said sweetly, pulling a few inches away from her.

            “Hi, Ven, sorry I’m late,” she said with a big grin before leaning forward to steal another kiss.

            “Did you want breakfast, or do you just want to eat my face?” he teased, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and guiding her into the café.

            “Why not both?” She giggled and leaned into him, placing her hand on his chest.

            “Well,” he said, “Breakfast is on me, but you have to pay for facial reconstruction surgery.”

            “Fair trade,” she said as they walked up to the counter to order.

            They found a table by the window and took a seat across from each other. Sunlight partially lit Ven’s face, and one of his blue eyes glowed in the light. He squinted that eye slightly as he struck up a conversation with her, asking how her missions were going and how her plants were doing.

            “How’s Strelly Jr.?” he asked, referring to an orange flower he gave her that she shared a name with.

            “She’s doing okay, but starting to wilt a little bit,” she said, furrowing her brows. Ven’s brows pulled into a slight frown at the news. “I need to figure out what’s wrong with her. Maybe she’s not getting enough light,” she mused, resting her chin on her hand.

            “I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” Ven said with a cheery smile.

            “Or maybe,” Strelitzia playfully furrowed her brows, “You’re coming in at night and messing with her.” Ven laughed. “You better not kill my precious Strelitzia,” she said, pointing a finger at him.

            Ven grinned and said, “Only a _monster_ would do that.”

            As they ate breakfast, Strelitzia couldn’t believe how lucky she was to have Ven as a boyfriend. He was sweet and caring and actually listened to her. Sure he had his…flaws, but so did everyone else, right?

            Right.

            “So have you talked to that wielder yet?” he asked, taking a bite of his sandwich.

            Strelitzia sighed and shook her head. “No. I just can’t work up the courage, and you know how shy I am.”

            “Oh yeah, I know. It took me weeks just to get you to talk to me and even longer to get you to go out with me,” he said with a roll of his eyes and a chuckle. “Wait,” worry bloomed on his face, “You’re not gonna run off with them, are you?”

            Strelitzia snickered and said, “You caught me; that’s exactly what I was planning.” She laughed again at his scandalized expression. “No, it’s not like that at all,” she continued, with a wave of her hand, “Not romantic or anything, I just feel this weird connection, like I know them or something, deep down in my heart.”

            “Sounds pretty romantic to me.” He smirked and threw his eyebrows.

            “Oh, please,” she said, rolling her eyes and changing the subject, not wanting to make her boyfriend needlessly jealous.

            When they finished breakfast, they decided to go for a small hike outside of town to a hill that overlooked the area. They sat side by side on a rock and gazed at their home. Ven threaded his fingers through hers and looked at her with a sad expression.

            “Strelitzia,” he said quietly.

            “What’s wrong, Ven?” Her eyebrows pulled together in concern.

            “I can feel it again.” He brought his hand to his heart, clutching his chest. “The Darkness.”

            “Oh.” Strelitzia realized that the look on his face wasn’t one of sadness. It was shame.

            He swallowed and continued, “Every mission I go on, every time I summon my Keyblade—” He reached out his hand and Wayward Wind shimmered into existence. “—I can feel the Darkness in me.” He dismissed his Keyblade and slowly lowered his hand.

            “Everyone has darkness in them,” Strelitzia said for the umpteenth time, wrapping her free hand around him, resting it on his hip.

            “I know,” he admitted, “But it’s not this hard for most people to resist. Have you ever been tempted by the Darkness?”

            She bit her lip. The answer was no, but that didn’t seem like a helpful response. “Maybe a little bit,” she fibbed, “But I always remind myself what I’m fighting for. The Light, Daybreak Town…You.” She smiled at him.

            “And ‘cause you want that sweet Lux,” he teased.

            Sterlitzia laughed. “Who doesn’t?”

            Ven sighed and gazed back at the town below them. “I just want you to know how much I appreciate you,” he said, looking back at her. The sincerity in his eyes put a blush on her cheeks. He drew her closer to him and kissed her slowly, pouring every ounce of love he had into the kiss.

            …

            For the next week or two, Strelitzia didn’t get to see much of Ven. Long, difficult missions consumed their time, and each crashed into bed at the end of the day, barely having time for even meals. It was after such a day that she sank into a deep slumber with Chirithy snuggled into the backs of her knees. She rolled over onto her back as she slept, dreaming that she was drowning, until she was woken by a paw patting her face. She gasped and her eyes flew open to find Ven’s Chirithy standing on her chest.

            Most Chirithy were light gray, but deep purple streaked his Chirithy’s fur like a disease. No. Like a Nightmare.

            “What are you doing here?” she asked, pushing Ven’s Chirithy off of her and looking over at her clock, “It’s the middle of the night.”

            “Ven needs you,” the Chirithy said, pinning her with its glowing red eyes, “Now.” It poofed out of the room without another word.

            “What do you think is wrong?” her own Chirithy asked, rubbing its face.

            “I don’t know,” she said, throwing her covers off of her, “But based on the colors of his Chirithy’s fur, it can’t be good.” She left her house without changing out of her nightgown and ran barefoot through the streets. The few late-night denizens of town gave her curious looks as she passed by, but she ignored them as her heartbeat pounded in her ears and her feet against the sidewalk. She finally reached Ven’s house and rapped on the door. There was no answer. She knocked again, but still nothing. Strelitzia turned the door handle, only to find it locked. She groaned and looked around her. No one was in the immediate vicinity, so she summoned her Keyblade and tapped on the door handle, hearing the lock click open. This was technically very illegal, and she could be arrested if anyone caught her, but she doubted her own boyfriend would turn her in. She opened the door and stepped inside, gazing around the dark room.

            “Ven?” she called out. He didn’t answer and worry bloomed in her chest. She slowly stepped to the back of the room where the door to Ven’s bedroom was, slightly ajar. She swallowed and pushed it open, stepping inside.

            Ven sat on his bed curled into a ball with his face buried in his arms. Moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating his form. “Ven?” she said softly. He looked up slowly and glared at her with cold eyes that glowed red. She gasped.

            “You need to leave,” he said slowly, dangerously. “ _Now_.”

            Despite her better judgement, Strelitzia quickly shook her head. “No,” she said, “I won’t leave you like this.” Tears pooled in her eyes, blurring her vision slightly. She kneeled on the bed and cautiously advanced on him. He uncurled from his ball and scooted away quickly, but the headboard stopped him.

            “Stay away,” he warned, but it sounded more fearful than threatening.

            “No.” Strelitzia reached for him, but he pushed her away roughly. She caught herself with her hand on the bed as Ven tried to get up. Afraid of what he would do if he left his home, she grabbed his arms and pushed him back into a sitting position. He growled and tried to pull her hands away. “Ven, stop!” she cried, wrapping her arms around his neck, clutching him to her chest.

            “Just leave!” he screamed, pushing against her and trying to wiggle out of her grasp, but Strelitzia held on even tighter.

            Their Chirithies watched from opposite ends of the room. Ven’s regarded the struggle with cold, uncaring eyes, but Strelitzia’s was prepared to pop over to the neighbor’s for help if things got violent.

            Ven tried to tear her arms away from him, but she would not release her hold on him. “Arrgh!” he cried out in defeat, dropping his hands and resting his head on Strelitzia’s shoulder, wetting her sleeve with his tears. Strelitzia heaved breaths in and out as he cried silently on her shoulder for a minute until he raised his head to look at her. His eyes no longer glowed red. “I’m sorry,” he rasped.

            “It’s okay,” she said softly, running her fingers through his hair.

            He shook his head slowly. “It’s not okay. The Darkness is overtaking me.” He removed Strelitzia from his lap and stood from the bed. He reached his hand out and summoned his Keyblade.

            Strelitzia gasped. “Ven!” she shrieked with a fearful look on her face, jumping from the bed and backing up to the doorway as her Chirithy poofed away.

            “No, no! Wait! Just look.” He flicked on his lamp and held up his Keyblade for her to see. It was no longer Wayward Wind, but instead, The Missing Ache, a Keyblade that primarily used Darkness as its power. Strelitzia covered her mouth with her hand and shook her head, sheading new tears. “It’s getting worse.”

            “We need to take you to Master Ava. She can help.”

            “No,” Ven said, dismissing his Keyblade, “We can’t tell anyone. They’ll kill me.”

            Strelitzia’s eyes widened and her forehead creased. “That won’t happen. I won’t let it.” She walked over to Ven and wrapped her arms around his waist.

            “I know you won’t.” He cupped her face in his hand and kissed her, brushing the streams of tears from her cheek.

            Ven released her lips from his, and Strelitzia took a breath, resting her head on his shoulder. After a minute of silence, she said, “You should get some sleep.”

            “Can you stay with me?” he whispered, tightening his hold on her. She ducked her head and swallowed, feeling warmth rise in her cheeks. Her boyfriend had never made such a request before.

            She didn’t say anything for a moment but then made up her mind. “I’ll be in the living room,” she said, pushing away from him. Ven let his hands slide down her arms as she stepped away and left the room, closing the door behind her. She turned on the standing lamp and pulled the throw blanket off the back of Ven’s couch, wrapping it around her shoulders. She took a deep breath, squeezing her eyes shut.

            A knock came from the door and the person on the other side opened it. She furrowed her brow. Had someone heard them? She walked over to the entryway as Ven’s neighbor poked her head in.

            “Is everything okay?” she asked with concern, “A Chirithy said people were fighting in here.”

            “Oh.” No wonder Strelitzia’s Chirithy had left. “Don’t worry, everything is alright.” The girl studied her face and gripped her arm suddenly.

            “Are you sure?” Strelitzia nodded. The girls sighed. “You can do better than him, you know,” she whispered resolutely.

            Strelitzia raised her eyebrows. “Thank you for your concern,” she said, closing the door without waiting for a response.

            The girl surprised Strelitzia with her forwardness, but not with the content of her message. Her friends always questioned why she was dating a guy like Ven. People thought he was strange and anti-social, no doubt sensing the Darkness he preferred to keep hidden, and Strelitzia would never tell anyone about his Darkness. That wouldn’t be fair. She sighed and turned to look back at Ven’s bedroom door, wondering if he had heard the whispered conversation.

            She raided his fridge for something sugary to eat to calm her nerves before crashing on his couch. When she had sunk into a deep sleep, Ven entered the room.

            He sat on the coffee-table, staring at her. What was she _doing_ with him? He was dangerous, a loose cannon. He would really hurt her one of these days. Ven rubbed his eyes and wished his Darkness would go away for her sake.

            “Watcha thinkin’ about?” his Chirithy asked quietly, crawling into his lap.

            Ven sighed and rested his chin on his Chirithy’s purple head. “She deserves better than me,” he muttered.

            “Yes, she does,” Chirithy agreed, “But you don’t need her.” Ven clenched his jaw. “You only need Darkness.”

            “Is that so?” Strelitzia’s Chirithy said, appearing on the coffee table, “You told her earlier that Ven needed her.” Ven’s Chirithy shrugged off his arms and poofed away without responding.

            “I do need her,” Ven whispered, “But she doesn’t need me.” He stood and retreated back into his room.

            …

            Three weeks later, Strelitzia sat on her roof watching that certain wielder mingle and talk to their friends as the sun set. She still couldn’t gather the courage to talk to them. She cursed her shyness and clutched the green book in her hands. The day after Ven’s…episode, Master Ava gave Strelitzia the Book of Prophesies and told her that she would be the next Union Leader when the current ones were gone, casualties of the impending and secret Keyblade War. She was instructed to tell no one of the book or any of its contents.

            But she had to tell _someone_! Keeping such a secret ate her alive. She had to tell that Keyblade wielder that she had a strange connection to. Or at the very least, she needed to recruit them into the Dandelions so that they would survive the war. But something held her back, and she didn’t know what or why. She rubbed her temples.

            “I thought I’d find you here,” a voice said. She looked over to find Ven carefully making his way over to her on the gabled roof and smiled at him. Ven had been doing much better since that night, or at least he seemed to be. When they were together, he was all smiles and sunshine, but she wondered what happened when she wasn’t around. He no doubt hid the worst from her. He sat down next to her and took her hand.

            “Hey,” she said, leaning over to peck him on the lips.

            “How are you, today?” he asked with a bright smile.

            She sighed. “I’m okay, I guess.”

            “Just okay? Is it that kid again?” he asked, eyebrow raised. She nodded. “Do you want to talk about it?”

            Strelitzia thought about it for a moment. Could she tell Ven about her troubles? _Should_ she tell Ven? Master Ava explicitly stated that the book was a secret, but Strelitzia trusted Ven with all of her secrets. He may struggle with Darkness, but that didn’t mean he would blab about the book.

            She took a breath. “Can you keep a secret?” Ven nodded. “There’s going to be a war,” she began slowly. He raised his eyebrows. “Master Ava gave me this book, the Book of Prophesies. It tells all about the war, who lives, who dies, what the next Union Leaders are supposed to do, and…it mentions a traitor among them. She told me that I was to be the next Leader once they had all died, along with a few others who were chosen. Only the Dandelions will survive. I need to make sure that wielder is one of us.”

            Ven didn’t say anything for a moment. He just stared at her with wide eyes. “There’s gonna be a war?” She nodded. “And you’re going to be leader?” She nodded again. Ven let out a breath and said, “Well,” he squeezed her hand in his, “They couldn’t have picked a better one,” he said, smiling sweetly. Strelitzia returned his smile and thanked him. “Mind if I take a look at the future?” he asked, resting a finger on the book.

            “Oh, Ven, you can’t!” she said, drawing the book to her chest, “No one is supposed to know about this. I wasn’t even supposed to tell you.”

            “Well, I’m glad you did,” he said, resting his hand on her knee. “I don’t want you to have to bear this burden alone.”

            “Thank you, Ven,” Strelitzia said, “I’m really happy I can talk to you about these things.”

            Ven drew her close and pressed his forehead to hers. “Not a problem, my little bird of paradise.” His lips closed around hers and he kissed her tenderly, brushing away any worries she had about the War for a moment.

            Their Chirithies watched them from a distance. Strelitzia’s Chirithy couldn’t believe what the girl had just done. It nervously shuffled its feet, wishing Ven would leave her alone and hoping that he wouldn’t tell a soul. If anyone found out, there would surely be mass panic and the Keyblade War would be upon them even sooner. Chirithy wanted to trust Ven, but the dark Dream Eater sitting next to it prevented such trust.

            Ven and Strelitzia broke apart and said a few words to each other before she stood and leapt off the roof. Her Chirithy poofed into her arms when she landed, leaving Ven and his Chirithy alone.

            “That’s a lot to take in, isn’t it?” his Chirithy said, walking over to him.

            “Yeah,” Ven said slowly, “A war. And we can’t even stop it.” Ven shook his head. “It’s a good thing they made her a leader, though,” he said with a grin. “Can’t you just imagine it? Strelly training Keyblade wielders.”

            “Not really,” Chirithy said.

            “Oh, come on,” Ven said, scratching its head, “She’s the perfect person for the job.”

            “You’d be better.”

            The statement hung in the air for a moment as Ven frowned slightly at Chirithy. But he quickly forced a laugh, trying to maintain levity, and said, “I’m the _last_ person for the job.” Ven stood and tried not to picture himself in Strelitzia’s place as he jumped off the roof and went home.

            …

            Strelitzia and Chirithy looked all over town for the Keyblade wielder. They had to be on a long mission or something like that because she searched Daybreak Town from top to bottom since early that morning but couldn’t find them at all. She had decided the night before, after she had talked to Ven, that she would find the wielder and recruit them to the Dandelions, but they proved to be difficult to find. She stopped for a breather by the fountain in the Square.

            Strelitzia looked up at the sky with a sigh trying not to lose hope, but her Chirithy ran up to her, saying that it had spotted the wielder run into a building. Strelitzia jumped up and ran to where Chirithy had directed with a grin on her face. Finally she would talk to them.

            Strelitzia entered the dark building and flicked the light switch, but no lights came on overhead. Must be broken. “They have to be in here,” she said, stepping further into the dark room, avoiding furniture and storage barrels, “This is the only place we haven’t checked.” She ran her fingers nervously over the spine of the Book of Prophesies.

            “Maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me,” Chirithy said. Strelitzia called out a few times, asking if anyone was there but got no answer.

            Strelitzia sighed. “It was worth a shot,” she said, “I’ll head back to fountain square.”

            “Okay, I’ll keep searching.”

            A long squeaking sound grated Strelitzia’s ears as the front door they had left open slowly swung shut with a click. She whipped around. “Hello?” she said as a dark figure slowly approached her, eyes gleaming red.

            “Strelitzia,” Ven said, stepping closer to her so that she could see the menacing look on his face. She backed away.

            “Ven?” she said in a small voice, “Are you okay?”

            “Give me the book,” he said, reaching out his open hand.

            Strelitzia eyed the book in her hands and clutched it protectively to her chest. “I can’t do that, Ven,” she said cautiously, shaking her head.

            “I will become a Union Leader.”

            She swallowed. “Ven, this isn’t you. I need you to try to fight the Darkness.”

            He smirked. “I _am_ Darkness.”

            Strelitzia backed further away with a frightened look on her face. “Ven, please, don’t do this.”

            “I don’t want to hurt you, Strelitzia,” he said, “ _Give me the book_.”

            “And what if I don’t?” she asked.

            Ven said nothing but brandished his Keyblade and advanced on her.

            …

            Pain. So much pain. Physically and mentally.

            Strelitzia struggled to breathe as she laid face down on the floor, tears dripping into the floor boards. Ven did this to her. The boy she loved. His Darkness had claimed her as its victim. Why had she told him? What had she been thinking? In a war against Light and Darkness, what side did she think he would chose with such a great temptation as the power of a Union Leader?

 _It’s just as well_ , she thought bitterly as she lay dying on the ground, _I’m clearly not meant to be a leader._

            Ven picked up the Book of Prophesies where it lay on the floor next to Strelitzia’s immobile body and exited the building.

            Chirithy stirred. “Why?” it muttered, staring at the door he had left open. It rushed to Strelitzia’s side and turned her over. Strelitzia sat up as pain flared in her chest. She took a deep breath and clutched Chirithy close to her as tears spilled onto her cheeks. “I’m sorry, Strelitzia, this is all my fault.”

            “No, don’t apologize. It’s okay,” she said standing up and slowly limping to the doorway. “I wish…” In her mind flashed all of the time she had seen the Keyblade wielder and all the times she wanted to talk to them but didn’t. She sucked in a shaky breath and buried her face into Chirithy’s fur, her shoulders shaking with sobs. “I’d had the courage.” She stood in the light spilling through the doorway and took one final breath as she faded away into shimmering light.

            Her heart floated up into the sky, now released from its body.


	2. Ven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ven is reminded of his past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's with all the fics about Ven and flowers? Don't get me wrong, I love it, but I just don't understand it.

I always like to remind myself that the most honorable people of all are not those who never make mistakes, but those who admit to them when they do and then move on and do their best to right the wrongs they have made.

-Yolanda Hadid

            Ven wiped the sweat from his brow and pulled another weed from the soil. The sun beat down hot on his back, but a cool breeze brushed his cheeks. He paused to stretch the cricks out of his spine, the products of being bent over the garden for an hour, when a water canteen appeared in his vision. He gratefully accepted the canteen and took a long pull from it, gulping down cool, sweet spring water.

            “Thanks, Aqua,” he said, handing the canteen back to his friend with a smile.

            “No problem,” she said, smiling back. She returned to her place in the garden and continued her work.

            It had been six months since the defeat of Xehanort. Six months since he had woken from his twelve year nap. Six months since Castle Oblivion became the Land of Departure once again—the way it should be. But during the twelve years of being Castle oblivion, the castle itself, as well as the grounds around it, went into a state of disrepair. Once lush gardens were infested with weeds, pristine plumbing had rusted over, and fine woodworking had rotted away.

            There used to be maids and maintenance workers to keep the castle in working order, but they had all fled after Master Eraqus’ death, and Organization XIII certainly didn't care for Castle Oblivion the way they should have. Now, it was up to Ven, Terra, and Aqua to bring the castle to its former glory. It was hard work, but they were happy to do it—a tribute to their fallen Master. And it wasn’t as if they didn’t know what they were doing. Master Eraqus didn’t mind making them do manual labor as a form a discipline whenever they had acted up. This wasn’t the first time Ven had ever pulled weeds from the garden.

            When all the plant boxes were cleared, he stood up and stretched, looking at the castle a short distance away. He picked up his tools and began to walk to the toolshed close by.

            “Hey, Aqua,” he said, passing her, “I’m gonna work on the flowers. Want me to get you anything?” He knew Aqua liked keeping flowers around the castle.

            “Hmm, could you pick me some rose petals?” she asked, “The way I showed you, remember?”

            “Of course,” he said with a nod and a smile, making his way to the shed. Once he had dropped off his tools, he picked up a watering can and a small wicker basket and exited the shed, filling the watering can under a spigot near the door and walking over the flower gardens closer to the castle than the vegetable patches were.

            The edible plants they grew weren’t anything fancy, but Aqua went all out with the flowers, planting them around a small maze of pathways that led to a set of table and chairs, perfect for tea time, in the middle of the little maze. Ven stepped over the flowers to the dining set and began to work his way outward, watering the plants, stopping by the roses to pick a few petals off each flower, wanting to preserve most of their beauty.

            Ven breathed in the fresh scent of the flowers, smiling to himself. Though Terra teased him about it, watering the flowers was Ven’s favorite chore. He took his time with watering, identifying each species of flower in his head. The ones with the long column of blooms were Gladioluses, the blue and purple ruffled ones with yellow centers were Irises, the ones with thin, light purple petals and had yellow tufts in the middle were Shions—he chuckled at the name; it sounded like “Xion,” a friend of his.

            But his favorites by far were the Strelitzias. Also known as the Bird of Paradise, the Strelitzias had pointy orange petals and three smaller blue petals pointing out of much larger pointed leaf. The plant was, overall, quite pointy looking.

            Ven brushed his finger lightly against one of the orange petals, gazing at it, lost in thought as his lips pulled into a frown. He used to not know why he liked the flower so much, but over time, as small parts of his memory returned in fragments, he remembered _her_.

            After suffering amnesia at the hands of Xehanort, Ven didn’t know who he was or his purpose in life. He only remembered living with Aqua, Terra, and Master Eraqus. But after waking up, his memory began to return in disjointed bits and pieces. Random faces, tall buildings, a clock tower—none of it made any sense though.

            He also remembered a red-headed girl. Whenever he pictured the girl’s face, a small smile sprung to his lips, filling him with mirth. Each time he remembered something new about her, like the sound of her laughter, or the way she squinted in bright sunlight, his affection only grew. But behind that affection was a twinge of… _guilt_?

            He wasn’t sure why he felt such juxtaposition about one person. Did he love this girl as the butterflies in his stomach suggested? And if so, why was there any guilt at all? Did he do something to her? He must have—these feelings couldn’t mean nothing.

            He watered the orange flowers, repeating the name over and over again in his head.

_Strelitzia._

_Strelitzia._

_Strelitzia._

            After visiting the Caribbean with his Keyblade wielding companions several weeks ago, and saw the red-headed girl among a group of beautiful and compelling sirens, he finally remembered her name.

            Strelitzia. That was why he liked these flowers so much.

            He sighed and finished his chore, returning the watering can to the tool shed and making his way to the castle with the basket of rose petals in his hand.

            He entered from the service door into the large kitchen with many wood-burning stoves, sinks, and a long prep table in the middle of the room. He set the basket on the table and turned on a sink, letting it run for a while to make sure clean water flowed from the old pipes, and then filled a pot with water, setting it next to the basket. He poured the rose petals into the water and swished them about gently, getting as much dirt and tiny insects off as he could, before setting them individually on a large towel to dry.

            “Those look nice,” Aqua said, coming through the door. “Ven, would you mind harvesting some honey? We’re running out and I want to use some for dinner tonight.”

            “Yeah, sure,” Ven said with a smile, gathering some clay pots for the task. He exited the kitchen and began the trek back to the gardens to where the beehives were kept. As he approached, he heard the resounding cracks of Terra chopping wood with an ax.

            “Yo, Terra!” he called. Terra looked up and waved with his free hand. “Could you help me with the bees? Aqua wants more honey.”

            “Sure thing,” Terra called back and jogged over to the hives.

            They were supposed to wear beekeeper suits (as Aqua constantly told them to) but the suits were hot and difficult to put on, so the two boys never wore them, even though they had both been stung before. Apparently, they never learned their lesson. Terra lifted up the lid of the hive and Ven carefully reached his hand in, pulling out one of the panels that the bees formed their honey combs on and gently brushed the bees away with wooden brush. He then took the panel a little ways off and scraped all the yummy goodness off with a spatula into the pots. They managed to harvest all of the honey without getting stung this time, much to Ven’s relief. They took the honey back to the kitchens and put them in storage as Aqua started dinner, asking if they had made sure to wear protection while harvesting from the beehive. They lied, of course.

            Dinner was simple that night—vegetable stir-fry with berries and cream for dessert, but Ven couldn’t have been happier to have the simple meal with his best friends and his adorable, grey Chirithy cuddled in his lap. They talked about their chores and Aqua’s and Terra’s upcoming wedding before retiring to bed.

            As Ven walked through the halls of the castle, he glanced out the window and looked at the flower garden. He moved closer to the window, trying to make out the individual flowers, but the sky had darkened considerably, limiting his vision of the outside world. He found a door leading outside and carefully navigated his way to the garden, seeking out a certain orange flower.

            Ven bent down next to the Strelitzias and plucked one from the ground before turning back to the castle and making his way to his bedroom. He took a random empty vase from a top shelf and filled it with water from the bathroom and stuck flower inside, setting it on his nightstand. He took a deep breath and turned away, pulling his clothes off and putting on his pajama pants before sliding under his covers and snuggling Chirithy close to his chest, losing himself to his dreams.

_Ven pushed through the front door of a dark building, eyeing his surrounding with red tinted vision. Inside the room stood a girl with long, red hair, staring at him with terror in her eyes._

_“Ven,” she squeaked, “Please.” Tears began to fall on her face but she didn’t brush them away._

_“Give me the book,” Ven said, stretching his hand out to her._

_The girl looked at the green book in her hands and clutched it to her chest. “No,” she whispered._

_“I don’t want to hurt you, Strelitzia,” he said dangerously, “Give me the book!”_

_“And what if I don’t?” she asked._

_Ven said nothing but summoned his Keyblade, slowly advancing on her._

_“Ven,” she pleaded, stepping backwards, trying to keep her distance from him, “Fight it! Fight the Darkness!”_

_Ven raised his Keyblade over his head and brought it down, but Strelitzia summoned hers just in time, blocking his blow. The Keyblades rang together with a clash, jarring Ven’s arm. She pushed him away and jumped back, still clutching the book with her free hand. Ven lunged at her, but she dodged him, rolling out of the way and bringing her Keyblade around to slash at his side. He parried her easily. Strelitzia swung her Keyblade at him once more and he parried her again, knocking her Keyblade out of her hands due to her one-handed grip. She stumbled and fell to the floor._

_Ven suddenly saw himself through her eyes, standing over her menacingly, eyes glowing red and Keyblade poised in the air. He swung his weapon down at the girl and—_

            Ven sat bolt upright in his bed with a wordless shout, heaving deep breaths as sweat dripped down his forehead.

            “That was some nightmare,” Chirithy said softly, wiping away beads of sweat that rolled down Ven’s chest. “It’s a good thing I pulled you out.”

            Ven said nothing for a moment, trying to control his breathing, but his heart still thumped madly in his chest. “What was that?” he whispered, barely audible.

            “A really bad dream,” Chirithy said. Ven wrapped his arms around the little Dream Eater.

            “Are you sure?” he said. When Chirithy said nothing, Ven continued, “Could it have been a…memory?” He looked down at his Chirithy, but it remained silent. “Chirithy?” he prodded.

            Chirithy nodded slowly. “It was a memory.” Ven pondered that statement for a moment before an ice cold chill settled in his veins and his face twisted as his eyes grew wet.

            He killed Strelitzia.

            The girl whose smile filled him with so much joy, whose laughter rang clear as a bell, the girl he loved. He had killed her. For a book.

            Ven swallowed thickly as fat tears poured from his eyes. “Why?” he asked even less audibly than before, “I loved her. Why would I kill her?” His shoulders shook as great sobs racked his entire body. He pressed his face into Chirithy’s head, letting its soft fur soak up his grief. Chirithy patted Ven’s chest with its paws as he cried, wishing it could do something to help. Ven released his Chirithy and buried his face into his pillow, continuing to sob, and it patted his back until he quieted.

            Ven sat up and took a deep breath, wiping his eyes. He slowly pulled his covers off of himself and stood up from the bed, making his way to the door.

            “Where are you going?” Chirithy asked.

            Ven took a shaky breath. “Fresh air,” he replied simply, closing the door behind him.

            He left the castle and walked over to the lookout point, sitting down in the grass and shivering as the breeze blew, hugging his arms around himself and wishing that he had at least been wearing a shirt. He swallowed the lump in his throat and gazed up at the stars.

            “Why?” he asked again. The stars did not answer. He put his head in his arms and let silent tears fall until he heard footsteps approaching in the grass behind him.

            “Ven?” Aqua said. He lifted his head but didn’t turn around. “What are you doing out here? Are you alright?” she sat down next to him on the grass, wearing a blanket around her shoulders, but snuggled close to him, wrapping half of the blanket around him. He let her do it and slipped his arm around her waist.

            “Couldn’t sleep,” he said, but his voice shook.

            “Did you have a bad dream?” He nodded. “Come here,” she said pulling him closer to her and he rested his head on her shoulder, letting tears fall from his eyes. After a few moments, Aqua said, “Do you want to talk about it?”

            Ven knew for a fact that he couldn’t tell Aqua about the dream. She would certainly think he was a monster and rightly so. No one like him deserved her friendship. “No,” he said quietly.

            “Okay,” she whispered. They sat under the stars for several minutes before Ven said, “What are you doing out here?”

            Aqua sighed. “I couldn’t sleep either,” she said, “I’ve just been thinking about the wedding and…It’s a big step, isn’t it?”

            Despite his sorrows, Ven smiled. “Don’t worry, Aqua, you and Terra are perfect for each other.”

            Aqua giggled. “Thanks.” She took a deep breath and smiled at him. “You’ll find someone too, you know.”

            Ven inwardly cringed and ducked his head, thinking about Strelitzia. He _had_ found someone, but for some reason, he decided to give her up. Violently.

            “Maybe,” he said. With that, he stood and said goodnight to Aqua, going back to his room and falling into a dreamless sleep.

            The next day, Ven struggled to focus on his chores and training. He sparred with Aqua in the training room, unaware that he was going easy on her. Not that he was used to being better than her—she was a Master and not he, but Aqua definitely noted his caution. She furrowed her brows at him and began a barrage of quick attacks. Ven gasped and parried her, suddenly serious, and doubled his attacks on her. She smirked and met her Keyblade with his with a clang. The two fought for only a few minutes, but it seemed like several tense hours to them.

            Aqua tried to side-step another attack, but stumbled, and Ven took advantage of her momentary weakness, slamming his Keyblade against hers and knocking her off her feet, Keyblade clattering out of her hand. She grunted as she slammed into the ground before looking up at him with wide eyes.

            Ven halted, staring at her with even wider eyes. She looked just as Strelitzia had in his dream. Gritting her teeth, Aqua summoned her Keyblade back to her and jumped to her feet, flying at Ven, Keyblade readied for another attack. Ven brought his own Keyblade up just in time to block her blow, but she knocked him backward onto the floor. He groaned and dismissed his Keyblade as Aqua crouched next to him.

            “Are you okay, Ven?” she asked, worry plain in her eyes, “You seem distracted.”

            “Um…” He didn’t know what to tell her.

            “Seriously, Ven,” Terra said walking up to them from the side of the room where he had been watching, “You’ve been out of it all day.”

            It was true. Every waking moment since the night before, visions of Strelitzia’s fearful eyes as well as his own red ones ran through his mind. The guilt ate at him and he thought that it wouldn’t be long until he had a break down.

            So, rather than letting his feelings consume him, he decided to take a leap of faith. He could trust his friends, right?

            Right.

            He stood up and took a deep breath. “Can I tell you guys something?” He didn’t look up at them, but stared at the floor. “It’s about that girl I told you about, Strelitzia, the one that always gives me a weird feeling.” Ven’s eyes began to grow wet as he spoke, but he maintained his composure. “Last night, I had a dream, but it was actually a memory from before Xehanort.” Aqua gasped softly. “I don’t know what happened, but…” his voice dropped to a whisper, “I…killed her.”

            He waited for Aqua or Terra to say something, but they didn’t, and he didn’t look up at them to see the expressions on their faces. “I wanted something from her and she wouldn’t give it to me, so I killed her,” he continued.

            “What did you want?” Aqua asked guardedly.

            “Some book. I don’t know what it was, but I wanted to take it from her.” He took a deep breath. “Chirithy?” His Dream Eater poofed into existence at Ven's call, landing at his feet. “Why did I want the book? What was it?” He bent down and picked Chirithy up.

            “I can tell you what the book was,” Chirithy said, “It’s called the Book of Prophesies, and it tells about the Keyblade War and important events like that. As for why you wanted it, you have to figure that one out on your own.” Ven closed his eyes and sighed, frustrated with Chirithy’s tight lip in regards to his memories.

            Ven looked up at his friends, expecting fear or anger, but only saw concern in their faces. “I need my memories back,” he said decidedly, “But I don’t even think I can get all of them. I’m not even a whole person.” He thought about Vanitas, his other half, his _darker_ half, and furrowed his brows, gritting his teeth. He had lost his memory when Vanitas was created, so if he had Vanitas back, then perhaps his memory would also be restored.

            “It’s okay, Ven,” Aqua said, resting her hand on his shoulder as Chirithy poofed away, “Even though you can’t remember everything and maybe you made some mistakes in the past, you’re still our friend. You don’t need your old memories to still be you.”

            Ven shook his head. “No,” he disagreed, “I _need_ to know who I was before this. I need to be whole again.” He set his brows. “I need Vanitas back.”

            Aqua and Terra gasped with wide eyes.

            “Ven, what are you talking about?” Terra cried. “That’s crazy!”

            “Ven, no!” Aqua said, “Don’t you know how dangerous that would be? You don’t know what you’re saying, we need to protect—”

            “ _I’m not a child, Aqua!_ ” Ven snapped, sharper than he had intended.

            “ _Ven_ ,” Terra warned.

            Ven ducked his head in shame. “Sorry,” he said in a small voice.

            “I know you’re not a child,” Aqua said softly, “But you’re my friend and I’m worried about you.”

            “I know,” Ven said, “But I need to do this. For me.” He turned on his heel and fled from the room, leaving Aqua and Terra to watch him go.

            Ven ran to his room and flung himself on the bed, burying his face in his pillow. He felt bad about snapping at Aqua and would have to give her a good apology—perhaps bake her some cookies. It wasn’t her fault she was worried. After all, he did just confess to murder.

            Ven still had trouble wrapping his head around it. How could he have killed Strelitzia? Only his lost memories could tell him. Ven sat up and called Sora, in whose heart Vanitas still resided.

            They spoke at length and Ven spared no detail of what he had done in his past, not afraid to shed tears in front of the boy he had stayed with for so long. Sora listened carefully, offering a kind word when needed.

            “The reason I’m telling you all this,” Ven said thickly, “Is because I need to get my memories back. I need Vanitas back.”

            Sora didn’t say anything for a moment, just gaped at him. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” he asked.

            “No,” Ven said, “I’m not sure. But this is something I need to do. I need to be whole.” Ven took a deep breath. “How does Kairi stand it? Having no darkness? Life can’t only be sunshine and daisies.”

            “It’s not just sunshine and daisies for her _or_ for you, Ven,” Sora said, “And Kairi’s meant to be that way, but…” he paused for a moment, “I guess you’re not.” Sora then smiled brightly. “I’ll help you get your memories back, if that’s what you really want.

            Gratitude washed over Ven and he smiled, choking back sobs. “Thank you, Sora.”

 

            A week later, Ven stepped out of the main entry way of the castle, walking to the Forecourt to set off on his journey to Radiant Garden, where he had agreed to meet Sora and Ienzo, who could hopefully extract Vanitas from Sora's heart. Terra and Aqua trailed behind him.

            “Are you sure you want to do this?” Aqua asked, hugging her arms to herself.

            “I don’t know,” Ven admitted, “But I know nothing is going to change unless I try.”

            Aqua pulled him into a hug, and Ven pressed his eyes into the crook of her neck, feeling Terra’s hand rest on his shoulder. Ven released Aqua and turned to hug Terra, who gave him a few firm slaps on the back. He stepped away and turned from them, taking a breath of resolve.

            Ven pressed the pad on his spaulder, his armor materializing around him in a flash of light, and threw his Keyblade into the air. It transformed into his glider, floating down next to him, and Ven hopped onto his glider, summoning a portal in the sky and zoomed through it before it disappeared.

            Terra and Aqua looked at where he had just disappeared for a moment.

            “We’re not just going to let him go, are we?” Aqua asked ruefully.

            “Not by himself, we’re not,” Terra said with a look of determination, activating his own armor and glider. He gracefully hopped on the glider and turned to Aqua. “You coming?” he said, voice muffled slightly by his helmet.

            Aqua smiled and followed Terra’s lead and the two zoomed through a portal Terra opened, following after their young friend.

            Ven might have thought he was strong enough to get Vanitas back, but that didn’t mean that Terra and Aqua were going to let him do it on his own. That’s what friends are for. They just needed to remind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I saw a theory that the ReMind DLC might have something to do with Ven's memories, so I went with it.

**Author's Note:**

> Ugh this is so angsty, I'm sorry. I wrote this with the impression that Ven in the killer, but I really hope he isn't!


End file.
